40 Years Ago Taken from the pages of the Dolores Star, Friday, Dec. 8, 1972 Larry and Marilyn Pleasant, Editors

Icy, snow packed roads contributed to a number of accidents in the area during the past week.

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The Christmas season is underway in Dolores as firemen are working to erect decorations, the Rotary club has turned on the hillside lighting and the Garden Club has announced this week plans for their annual Christmas Lighting Contest.

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Four men from the Dolores Ranger District were caught in the heavy snow storm on Monday, Dec. 4 atop Willow Divide while on a tree marking trip. The men spent the night on the divide, snow shoeing out to the Dunton Guard Station on Tuesday morning, reaching the station about 11 a.m. A crew from Dolores broke through a high drift with a snow cat and reached the Guard Station about 11:30 a.m. to bring the men out.

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A open house in honor of Ross Thomas will be held on Sunday, December 17 from 2 to 5 p.m. He will be celebrating his 90th birthday on that day. The open house will be held at his home on 203 South 6th Street. All of his friends are invited to attend.

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Street repair was first on the agenda at the regular meeting of the Dolores Town Board held last Tuesday, Dec. 5. Jim Sparks and Chris Quintana appeared with a petition from the residents of the 200 and 300 blocks on Riverside Drive asking that their street be fixed and maintained like the other streets in town. Board members agreed with their request and issued orders for temporary repairs followed by permanent ones when the telephone company moves poles which are now in the way.

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The Stoner Ski Slop will open for the first time this season tomorrow morning, Saturday, Dec. 9, with Ski Patrol training at 8 a.m. and the tow open to the public at 10 am. on both Saturday and Sunday. The lower slop has already been packed with powder skiing on the upper slop. A total of 16 inches of new snow was reported as of Tuesday morning. A bus scheduled to leave from Cortez at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday will stop at the Ponderosa Restaurant in Dolores for anyone needing transportation to Stoner.

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Mr. and Mrs. Jack Kinkade spent the weekend in Portales, New Mex. visiting with their son and family, Mr. and Mrs. Gay Kinkade. They returned home on Monday.

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Mrs. Caddie Plumlee, Mrs. Lois Rash and Harry Rash enjoyed a delicious turkey dinner at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Kay Rash in Cortez on Sunday.

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Mr. and Mrs. Tom Reynolds and baby spent the day Friday visiting Mrs. Reynolds grandmother and father, Mrs. Lois Rash and Harry Rash of Dolores. They returned to their home in Moab that evening.

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Miss Julie Johnson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Johnson, celebrated her second birthday at a party Wednesday afternoon. Nine of her young friends were present to help her celebrate.

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Dr. and Mrs. Bill Watson were dinner guests last Wednesday at the Tom Brenners. They all enjoyed a wild game dinner including deer, elk and dove. Dr. and Mrs. Watson are from Burlington, Vermont but are here while he is taking a special surgery course under Dr. Howe specializing in obstetrics and gynecology. They plan to be her until about the 18th of December.

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Mrs. Helen Fogel will leave Monday to fly to Arleta, Calif. where she will spend the next two or three months. Her two daughters and other relatives live there and she will be visiting all of them.

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Marge Bowden was in Durango on Saturday for a checkup with her doctor and later in the afternoon she and her daughter Betty went to Farmington to do a little shopping.

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Guests at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Bud Becher on Thanksgiving were Mr. and Mrs. Morey Plumlee, Mr. and Mrs. Steve Becher and Mr. and Mrs. David Becher and son.